Quality Insights of Pennsylvania is Pennsylvania's Medicare Quality Improvement Organization. According to Kimberly Cahill RN, BSN Project Coordinator of Integrated Care for Populations and Communities for Quality Insights of Pennsylvania (QIP), the organization was charged by CMS to conduct a three-year care transitions project across the state. Quality Insights of PA selected the York/Adams county area to partner with as a community, due to the pre-existing commitment to improving care transitions for patients. With the focus on Medicare FFS recipients, the project will work on improving care transitions processes to be more safe and efficient, and to reduce the amount of preventable hospital readmissions. In the end, the project will help provide a care transitions interventional program that AF4Q – South Central PA can implement within its initiatives. ... [more]
With an overriding push across the nation for hospitals, practices and nursing facilities to take a deeper look into transitions of care, Aligning Forces for Quality – South Central PA and Highmark (through the generosity of Merck) came together to sponsor a discussion among the region’s skilled-nursing facilities and hospitals. ... [more]
According to a report from the National Transitions of Care Coalition, medication errors harm an estimated 1.5 million people each year in the United States, costing the nation at least $3.5 billion annually. ... [more]
A leader for the aging population, Dianna Benaknin, Director of the York County Area Agency on Aging (YCAAA), said, “Today, people are living longer, but the number of people with chronic conditions is not decreasing.” ... [more]
On March 29, 2012, Aligning Forces for Quality – South Central PA held a luncheon with various representatives from area hospitals, emergency medicine, skilled nursing facilities and palliative care providers to discuss Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST). POLST is a brightly colored form which accompanies a patient along the continuum of care, assuring all providers from long term care facilities, emergency medical staff and acute care hospitals honor a patient’s wishes for end of life care. POLST provides an opportunity to discuss treatment options, improves communication and develops a patient-centric plan of care. ... [more]
Through the generosity of Merck, Aligning Forces for Quality - South Central PA and Highmark sponsored a panel discussion on March 22, 2012 to discuss skilled nursing facilities and hospital transitions. Attendees learned the key obstacles to successful transitions, processes and tools to decrease medication-related problems, and best practices to ensure safe, quality transfers. PowerPoints from the event are available for download by clicking on the highlighted names below. Among the presenters were: ... [more]
AF4Q – South Central PA is featured in the “Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives: Essential Elements for Successful Healthcare Reform” report produced by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation. The report features 22 collaboratives by showcasing the key ways the leaders are transforming quality care in their communities. ... [more]
Take a few minutes to listen toChristine Amy, Project Director of AF4Q – South Central PA talk about what AF4Q is doing locally to improve primary care as a means to reduce hospital readmissions and health care costs. The video was provided by Aligning Forces for Quality, and taken during a panel discussion at the AF4Q National Meeting in November 2011. ... [more]
